300/365 300 Workout in Honor of 300th Post

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Wow! This is the 300th post! Can you believe we've come this far? Just 65 more beloved posts. This is quite possibly as exciting as Oprah's last episode. I jest!

In honor of the 300th post, here is the work out that the guys from the movie 300 used to get ripped and ready:
Pullups - 25 reps

Deadlifts with 135 lbs - 50 reps
Pushups - 50 reps
24-inch box jumps - 50 reps
Floor wipers - 50 reps
Single-arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell - 50 reps
Pullups - 25 reps

The following video shows the order and a brief demonstration of the 300 work out.

Certainly this is a bit ambitious. Feel free to turn it down a notch. You could cut all the reps in half or modify the exercises to ones you are more comfortable with. The article in Men's Health Magazine that I got this from offer solutions. Have fun!

In health,

Lauren

289/365 Push Up Variation using Elevation

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Exercise is all about biomechanics. It's about understanding the force, resistance, and axis of the levers in your body and using them to your best mechanical advantage; this means making your exercises as efficient as possible. You can't just change where your elbow bends to make bicep curls easier. You can however change  your environment.

Now, I'm not sure how you can modify a bicep curl other than changing the weight but, here are ways to modify push ups. Last August I wrote about Three Ways to Push Up, presenting two more...

The first I would call Intermediate-Advanced.
1. Find a bench. Plant your hands on the edge the bench, fingers pointing away from you.
2. Walk your feet out so that your body is flat like a plank.
3. Push up as you normally would.

Try the second one if you are comfortable with your standard push up.
1. Find a step or low bench. Plant your toes on the top of the bench.
2. Walk your hands out to where they normally are for a push up.
3. Push up as you normally would.

In health,

Lauren

283/365 Spring Workout: Push Muscles

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As promised, here are the exercises I used to work my pushing muscles; these are the pectoralis and triceps.

Tuesdays
Push ups on BOSU
Dumbbell fly on incline bench
Overhead cable extension
Dumbbell kickback on bench

Fridays
Bench press
Push ups on bench
Dips on bench
Tricep cable press down
Dumbbell fly on ball
Diamond push ups

As with the pull exercises, I started out with 2 sets of 10-12 reps and moved up to 3 sets the next week. After feeling comfortable with 12 reps, I moved up my weight.

I can definitely see a change in my muscle definition from these strength exercises and my weight loss. I know that I've lost 2.5lbs so far, looking to round it up to 3 by Monday. Next, legs, shoulders, and abs exercises...

In health,

Lauren

PS: If you have any questions about any of the exercises I've listed, just let me know so I can make a handy dandy Paint illustration.

204/365 BOSU: Push Ups

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

There are so many variations for doing a push up on a BOSU that I really can't draw them all.

Bubble-side Up:
1. Both hands on bubble
2. One hand on bubble with arms straight, push up --> switch hands with arms straight, push up
3. One hand on bubble --> push up --> land on other hand --> push up
4. Push up with feet on bubble

Flat-side Up:
1. Both hands on outer edge
2. One hand on flat side, switch
3. Push up with feet on flat side

In health,

Lauren

141/365 Winter Workout at Home: Push-Up Press Pyramid

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

My friend Tom told me about this exercise about a year ago. It was tough then and it was tough this morning when I lead it in my group exercise class.

The idea is to start with 10 push ups followed by 10 overhead presses without weights. Get a little rest then do 9 push up followed by 9 overhead presses. Get a little rest then do 8...I think you get the idea. This exercise is tough. You can start out easy by starting at 6 or 8. You can make it harder by getting up to 10. After that you can use weights with your overhead presses. The modifications are pretty endless. Instead of overhead presses, you could do lateral raises or frontal raises. You will feel your shoulders, core, back, and chest burning by the end, maybe even halfway through! I say that from sets 10 to 6 your body is at work. From 5 to the end, it's all in your head.

This pyramid can be done anywhere. It burns and you'll sweat. By the end, you'll be happy to have inserted it into your winter workout at home.

In health,

Lauren